Read a free excerpt from War of the Worldviews, which has already hit the New York Times bestseller list in its first weeks of publication. In this extraordinary book, co-authors Deepak Chopra and renowned physicist Leonard Mlodinow delve into many of the great unanswered questions facing both religion and science, including how the universe began, where life comes from, and whether or not this is a conscious universe.

After many years of watching hundreds of sweet souls from all over the planet become certified instructors of Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga, I decided at the beginning of 2011 that this would be the year I would finally take the plunge.

The ability to embrace ambiguity, uncertainty, and paradox is the hallmark of spiritually enlightened beings. Yet while we may acknowledge the value of flexibility and openness, the ego mind craves certainty.

The first step towards genuine awakening is setting the intention . . . deciding to live a life that reflects your right to happiness. This requires the recognition that you are the only one who cares enough about your happiness to make it a driving force. When you take the steps to release the pain and misunderstandings of the past, healing can occur.